


Sacriledge

by arosethornbyanyothername



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Banter, Body Horror, Co-Dependency, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Fix-It of Sorts, Found Family, Fractured Fairy Tale, Healthy Relationships, M/M, Magic, Pirates, Poetry, Self-Indulgent, Slash, They sort of ruin and destroy and remake each other, Thrones, Token Mysogyny, WIP, but somehow its still true love, sacrilegious, works for them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-02-10 18:24:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18665884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arosethornbyanyothername/pseuds/arosethornbyanyothername
Summary: AU where Harry is the reluctant soon-to-be Bishop of the Light Kingdom bitterly trapped in his position and by his past and Tom is the captain of the Vol de Mort pirate ship with ambiguous connections to the Dark Throne.They both may get far more than what they bargained for when Harry hightails out right before his crowning as the newly minted Bishop right underTHEAlbus Dumbledore’s nose..You ruined me.Clouded moonlight shines into the temple; Harry stamped the wax seal himself, and had a hidden letter hastily sent to Tom—no—Voldemort miles and miles away – this time, what must (he) give in exchange?(Why.When will you stop?When will it be enough?)Deep marks passed through the back of the parchment; so much so that it almost can be seen, when writing this line, how angry the young Bishop was.Lord Voldemort spread out a piece of paper unhurriedly, replying with only one word.You





	1. Lily of the Valley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She watches, fall as they will, dew drops from the morning mist. She watches, she waits, she grows up, and she dies young but all she can think about is—as the dew finally drips from the leaves – she is _tired._

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl named after Lilies.

  
With skin as white as snow, hair as red as blood, and eyes as green as fresh-pickled toads, she made quite the sight from her perfect, normal, picturesque, blue-eyed, blonde-haired family.

  
(Skin as white as snow, hair as red as blood and inhuman green eyes, really? That’s not _natural_ )

  
So lovely was her face and so sweet _(oh sweet summer child)_ was she in temperament that if you had met her, you would have remembered her _(she was………different)_ , and you would have loved her _(for certain dark things are to be loved)_.

  
And so loved was she, and so, so lucky _(but she must have used up half her luck in life when she was born in the light kingdom)_ for she was adored by everyone who knew her.

 

_(Was she though?)_

 

They say she must have been blessed by the fae.

 

_(They forgot that fae never gives true blessing)_

.

Snow white and pale

Flesh bounding the soul

Paper skin and bones

Tear, cut and torn

.

_Ah, I’ve been amiss_

_But of course, what’s a story without its settings._

_I ask you pardon, if I may, for I am not as young as I was then when everything unfolds_

_Now, to let our tale move along_

_Let’s talk about the place where she was born,_

_The territory of the South, The Light Kingdom_

.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom which was ruled by a king. 

.

**No—to understand better one must go farther back. Further back, to a time where there were no kings, no kingdom, and there were no ‘once upon a time’s**

. 

Once upon a time where time was not upon once. (You see, this is where things go a _little_ —a lot--  _confusing_ )

 

There were no kings nor queens nor princesses nor princes. For there were no kingdoms to be ruled and so they were not needed—nor wanted. There was no crown to be worn

and no power—magic to be flaunted.

 

But what there were, once upon a time where time was not upon once, were **_gods_**. Old ones, new ones, benevolent ones, merciful ones, violent ones, ruthless ones, unkind

ones. All of them powerful in their own way, all of them amoral.

 

Good and evil were relative because they were just ideas. Abstract little constructs. Made, and used, and wasted.

.

_But that was then, **for there are no gods now**_ **.**

.

Maybe they got tired of playing the human game or maybe they are still there, watching, waiting, being entertained. Feeding of human despair, egging on our greed. Or maybe they’re dead. What is a god to a non-believer? Either way, they can’t save anyone now, not humanity, and not themselves.

.

But what of the humans, left to fend for themselves?

What of the monsters and men?

And what of the monsters who were once upon a time men?

.

Dense mist covered the land, and the moon was scarcely seen upon the sky as the sun disappeared from sight.

As if a dam was broken, creatures that are _Other_ , creatures not of this land descended from the night.

.

A long war dragged across the years. Decades—Centuries—Millennia. And up to today, it’s still being fought.

_(But that’s another story, one which we won’t get into now.)_

.

From the wars fought, and won, and lost, the continent was divided into four territories;

 

The largest of which is in the South; the Light Kingdom, where the ‘good’, ‘moral’ people reside. And in the center of it, the capital of the Light Kingdom: Grey London. From which Light Priests are born and made, and used and discarded _(hush now)_

 

As per traditions made from centuries ago, back when the war was a little after its peak, each child born in the Light Kingdom at the age of eleven _must_ test themselves for their potential in Light magic. As it is, not everyone was, ‘gifted’, _(muggles, whispered behind derisive sneers)_ and not just anyone can be a light mage. Given the case, though that the land is severely lacking in heroes _(fodders)_ to fight for the land, everyone with the barest hint of talent for it is ‘given the chance’ to join one of three prestigious schools on the Light Kingdom— _well, of course, **given** that (their) requirements are met._

 

(Oh but _of course,_ the Light-kingdom is _nothing_ but **fair** )

 

(Given a chance, the girl named after Lilies would have preferred a choice)

.

Flimsy, frail, and breakable

You scream but no one hears you

Why would they,

It’s all just in your head

.

She was a genius, a prodigy they say

_A freak_ , her dear sister spits in her face

One who has the potential, what it takes to become the next Bishop of her land

A possession, something to be gawked at

She was beautiful, sweet, and kind

_Desirable_ , some _thing_ to be tamed, some _thing_ to be had.

.

But then so it happens, as our not-quite fairy tale unfolds and moves along.

 

Alas! The damsel must be in distress, why, how else would the hero’s virtue be shown. You ask if she needs help? What kind of question is that! Either way, she’ll get it, and then she’ll look pretty in her savior’s hands

 

Why of course she will marry him! He saved her. That’s the least she owes him. He DID save her after all, he must get his reward. Well her prize? What more could a pretty girl want?

 

He’s handsome, that James Potter _they say_ , and he’s chased her for all those years. Surely she must see that he loves her, and be contented and pleased.

.

Scarlet runs across the floor

And Red runs free from your veins

White paper skin scissored away

When the world fails and words break

.

That sweet little child called Lily, may she be able to rest in peace. 

Goodbye, Lily Evans, who no one really knew. Little girl, society has decided, it’s time that you grew

The daughter, the prodigy, the Bishop that was once meant to be that will never be.

Where is your best friend? Severus Snape was it?

He ran? He blamed you? He accused you of betraying him with his old bully?

Why, surely, he must have known that you never wanted this.

.

The blessed one, the loved one, the favorite one, the popular one

Is now drowning. _Dear sister,_ will you help me?

She must be so joyful! Look at the tears running down her face. How touching

_Touch me not_

A muggleborn, marrying a pureblood lord, how envious!

_She was beautiful, sweet, and kind_

.

Walking down the aisle, Lily Evans has butterflies in her stomach. With flowers in her heart and thorns in her chest, every step she takes forward feels as if she’s steeping on burning coal. Could anyone have the strength of will not to scream when burned? 

She looks into his eyes, and she sees that he is a man in love. Not with her, but the idea of her he’s made in his mind.

.

Your eyes burn,

A testament of your pain

Your chest heaves,

A proof that you’re alive

.

He was not violent, _she thanks the gods she doesn’t believe in,_ that he was not violent

He was gentle, almost apologetic with his actions. After everything that has to be done was done and over with, he held her close, and he brought his mouth to her ears and he whispers a quiet, _sorry_

It’s not okay, things are still not okay. Just because he did what he did doesn’t excuse him on any of his previous action, but – Lily’s just--- _It’s a start_

It’s more than she ever hoped for and while she wishes things could be different, goddamn it she wishes things could be different, things ARE NOT different, and it’s her life now so she got to make do of what she has and deceive herself that it’s not all going to crash down on her, this house of cards she’s building around herself made of pretty lies, ugly truths, teeth and claws, and red-rimmed truths in a smile.

_It’s all she can do to keep the monsters under her skin from breaking free_

.

No good deed goes unpunished

.

Things don’t necessarily become easy after that.

Lily is so tired but she can’t stop—she mustn’t stop

**Mary did you know?**

.

A little girl randomly chosen as a sacrifice

By the gods, _what have you done?_

A lord not necessarily of this land

His name?

We do not speak of it

.

He seems to love her; maybe he even believes it in his heart

Lily is falling; maybe she has been falling since the very start

She doesn’t need anyone to catch her, she can handle it just fine

_Well, Ms. Lily Evans, top of her class, the smartest woman, no, person I’ve ever known, and the most amazing one too_ \---stop your nonsense--- _Hahahah, shhhhhh. I know you can handle it just fine, but let me have your back will you?_

. 

_There are bad days_

But it’s a bad day, not a bad life

.

 

You—you are not the bully I know

_A mighty arrogant toe rag I was back then, huh? Don’t worry I never forgot,_ he smiles, _but I like to think that even just a little, I’ve grown from the privileged jerk I was then to the_ \--, a short but belly-deep chuckle, r _ather dashing man I am today_

What man?, she snorts, You are but a boy

And he is, just as she is just a girl—not men and women—whatever society may say

He is just as he is from the moment she was with him after their nuptials, all dramatic angles, and sincere eyes, and soft edges and big words as he mimed throwing his head back while clutching his chest.

_Hit when I least expected it Lily-flower, how could you!,_ a peal of unrestrained laughter, _I declare that you shall hug it better so it heals, oh powerful light mage!_

And that’s the thing, after the night of their wedding, she has never forced her to do anything against her will, and she doesn’t understand, for one fleeting moment, she wondered if it was because he doesn’t find her desirable enough, before she threw that thought away back from whatever hell it came from _(probably society)_ , and then she was just curious— _desperate to know._ Why?

And so she asks, _Why?_  , with so many things unspoken and left in the air

He looks at her, and he must have seen something in her eyes, something that shows her uncertainty—fears; that made him sit up straight, and _this—_ this is the man James Potter has always had the potential to be in his teenage years, the leader behind the stuck-up bully, the privileged delinquent, and the entitled harasser he was. The one that got him the respect of his group of a rag-tag bunch of misfits. 

She looks at him, and the words that have always been stuck in the back of her head after she met the seeming new him, _grow up, get a personality_ , were slapped back to her. _Oh_ , he has changed, she just hasn’t been looking

And then he talks.

.

Ahhh, where do I start?

I do not love you, Lily-flower

Ah, shit, wait—abort mission!

Damn, you James, you really fucked up this time.

Well, _*sigh*_ , fuck shit, I’m just gonna go with it

I am not in love with you Lily—or to be more put

At least I think, _not yet_

.

James Potter is not in love with Lily Potter

James Potter is starting to love Lily Evans

.

Forgive me; I’m not very good with words, that is more along with your forte. 

Funny how it works, huh?

I do not love you yet, Lily, because I’m still stuck up with my image of you and I’m trying to get to know you more.

I’m sorry if it’s a slow-going process. I really, _really_ am.

And even right now I’m still unsure if I would be able to fall _in love_ with you.

But me adoring you not because of whom you are but because of what I cast you as is something that no one ever deserves.

You can call me a hypocrite for claiming that with all the selfish things I’ve done.

I know you had to give up your dreams when you were married to me, and you must have felt choked up going to the altar thinking you were going to be meeting your jailer for life.

But please believe this one thing I’m going to say: I never wanted this for you, and I never wanted this for me.

.

_I did not change for you_ , he says solemnly

She jestingly shots back, _funnily enough, I’m not offended,_ and she isn’t. 

And maybe, just maybe this thing between them could work

.

One day, she asks him. _You know this no love story right?_

_But of course_ , a smirk then a wink—this rascal, _this is a story about love_ , he smiles

.

Then the prophecy was delivered.

.

**Mary did you know?**

.

She watches, fall as they will, dew drops from the morning mist.

She is young, she is old, she is human, and she is a monster from prehistoric times

With paper skin and bones and tired inhuman eyes

A mindless puppet whose strings are torn tasked to face Earth once more.

To see the wicked path of destiny—all of mankind in death’s door

.

You tell me we are one and same,

But I am not you.

You are the little voice inside my head

Telling me bad, bad things to do to myself,

Things I can’t talk about

For fear I’ll forget who I am and turn into you

.

Hush, now. No one can know.

Of the monsters in your skin,

And of the tiredness in your bones

.

_I don’t love you yet, he says_

I don’t love you yet, she says

I love you

Then everything was nothing

.

She watches, she waits, she grows up, and she dies young but all she can think about is—as the dew finally drips from the leaves – she is _tired._

.

Pity, it was almost a love story


	2. Of Faithless Knights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This, is the story of how I died.

The story goes something like this—

Once upon a time, there was a pair of loving husband and wife who have been married to each other for a long time but still hasn’t been blessed with a child. ( _Seems familiar? A run in a mill storybook tale?)_

And so on as our tale goes, this pair tried all they can and consulted different people who gave some fantastical, advanced, and orthodox methods that they performed to the utmost precision, all in the hopes that their union could finally bear a new life which will complete their perfect little dream family. _But to no avail._

Now, this is where our story differs with others much the same with it. (For you see),  rather than go looking for a sorcerer or witch to grant their wishes when it still hasn’t come to pass, this pair of spouses were magical themselves.

Through the obscure books they hunted within the extensive Black library, they concocted a prayer ritual that they conducted in Samhain when the borders between worlds were thin enough that magicks not normally accessible to them can be quite in reach and offered different sages and herbs to the gods of Olde in hopes that it can attract enough goodwill so they can ask for a favor.

The next day, Dorea Potter nee Black performed a pregnancy test spell and was overjoyed by the fact that it resulted in positive.

And Thus, James Charlus Potter was finally conceived

.

Cast the Prince they said.

But where is the prince to be found?

There are no princes left here, good sir.

Only broken, faithless knights

.

_ One of the earliest moments in life that he can remember with some clarity is one of simpler, more carefree times _

James unconsciously lets out a sharp intake of breath. “ _Whoa_ , what are those? “

“Notice those?”, pausing from his task, Charlus glances at the general direction where his son is pointing at, “ _Those_ James, are what we call Patronuses. They are, well— you can say that they are protectors of our kingdom, and what they do is deter the dark the fog from spreading into our borders.”, he guffaws, “Mighty cool, huh? Big guy.”

“Hey! Don't ruffle-- Not the hair!!, Daaaaaaaad! Not cool! Stoooooop!”

“Hahaha, sorry, sorry.”

James does not think that his dad looks sorry at all but well, he _is_ asking something so he’ll let this one pass. Stupid Dad. “Hhmp.— So, so! What powers them? Like what makes them all glowy and stuff”

Charlus lets out a disbelieving chuckle. “Glowy and stuff? Really James?”,  he shrugs, “Well it’s a bit too  advanced for you right now but to put it much more simply, Light magic.”

“Wicked!”, James says, not really understanding anything and not really thinking that it is _that_ particularly wicked, but dad says the words _Light Magic_ like it is so it must be!,  “And where do they come from? Do they live in forests because they look like animals but! But! They’re more awesome because they _glow_ ”

"Oh, you'll see when you join Hogwarts, James, you'll see.”

James crosses his arms and looks up. He’ll see? Hah, so it’s old people’s stuff. “Uhhhm, so. Why do they derter-- det--ted-- whas it?? Anyway! What do they do to the fog again?!”

Another guffaw, this one much more amused than the last one. “Deter, James. Keep away”

“Oh. Why?”

Charlus peers at him closely, then pats his head and speaks as if imparting something _seriously_ important to James.

“Bad things hide in the dark, little one. Bad, bad things.”

“Whoa! Now that is a lot of ‘bad’. Bad like villains? Ooh, then do you get to be a hero dad?? Quick tell me stories!”

“..........I suppose.”

“S'ppose? Whazzat supposed to mean? Then are you a knight dad? Where's your sword? Or, or better yet! Are you a prince, dad? Is mom a queen then?”

“Full of questions, huh?”

Charlus enacts a showy act of placing his hand in his chest while James just enjoys himself looking at his Dad making a fool of himself. ”What's with the preferential treatment though?! Speaking of, let’s go inside now for now because your mother is waiting and she'll skin us both alive if we let dinner waste away, mark my words little one, she will”

“Yes! Mom rocks!” The father and son duo went inside

.

James Charlus Potter is the only child of Purebloods Lord Charlus Potter and Lady Dorea Potter (née Black), of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter and it showed.

.

On the manor down the hills

Lives a quaint little family of three and not one more

Rich, loving, hands-on parents.

A perfect backstory for all

.

 

It would not be amiss to say that James Potter had everything.

(Except when his skin feels too big or too tight.

When the monsters don’t just come at night.

When words get stuck at the back of his throat.

When he doesn’t quite recognize himself anymore.)

.

He remembers

_And he forgets again_

.

The first time he met him, James had no idea that Sirius Orion Black is anything but normal.

He seemed a fine, dandy bloke-- if just a tad bit too pale and flighty if anyone were to ask him. Which, ya know, no one really does.

With nothing to quell his boredom at home, James decided to gallivant around town in search of something to hold his attention

Of course, being a child of merely ten years of age; _well_ let’s just say he neither has the best attention span nor the self-impulse needed to not wander off his parent's approved path and have a little detour to the vast forest on the edge of the town of Hogsmeade to have a little, adventure you can say

Saddled with the term 'Forbidden' for its name, it is of no wonder that the Forbidden forest attracts both foolish children who want to prove to themselves that they are already grown up; and angst, rebellious teenagers with too much time in their hands and a need to prove themselves to their peers.

Fortunately for the continued existence of the younger general populace of the place, the people of Hogsmeade retains enough common sense (debatable) in their heads to line the perimeter area around the forest with solid, six feet tall wooden fences.

Unfortunately for the very same people, they didn’t quite take into account one overzealous kid with the determination to take on anything to get rid of the boredom _(wrongness)_ he is feeling.

And so with disheveled clothes, dirty hair and glasses skewed, James Potter finally manages to get down from the throng of trees he’s been climbing for hours now and skips along to what he is sure is going to be the very best adventure of his whole life awaiting him.

_If only James knew what would happen_

.

**You're killing us**

.

Howling into the unfeeling abyss again child?

Be very careful and watch what you say.

You never know who is looking back.

You'll never know until the time you have to pay

.

James grows up, makes friends, have fun and dies a little more inside every day.

He lives, feeling his time running out, and not knowing just _why._

_._

Have you ever wondered, what it feels?

If you got stuck in a dream without doors and windows

Slowly breathing… Slightly aching…

Ghastly Gasping… Slowly Dying…

(Help me)

.

The day James Potter met Lily Evans is a day he thought to be just like any other

.

He looked at her then felt an instant chill.

Some say the world ends in fire, some in ice.

But he might not know her face or that voice

But he knew those eyes

.

Nevertheless of all the Wrong and Other he felt attraction still.

Another thing to be screamed to the void, knowing this is the one that will get him killed.

Hello, soulmate why were you ever born.

You're a distraction, a death sentence, a curse in this land forlorn

.

Lily Evans is like no one James has ever met before

She is all righteous anger and vengeful fury with her hair fluttering with invisible breeze framing her face like fire as she socks him right in the face and calls him an arrogant toe rag in front of the whole school body for tripping her friend on his way to the table on the opposite side of the hall.

James, charmed right down to the bone, thinks that this might be what love at first sight is.

.

_(He is not wrong, but neither is he right. Not yet)_

_Deep in the abyss, something slumbering finally opens its eyes. Watching, waiting._

_Suddenly James Potter is not the only one there._

_He remembers, and he forgets again_

.

_Tick, tock_

Little hero your time is running out

.

He grows older

.

He reaches their wedding room and you know what he sees?

A beautiful, terrified, woman who was never his

Something twists and turns in his head

_He remembers, and he forgets again_

.

He knows now, that what he feels for her isn’t that type of love yet.

He thinks he has always known.

It doesn’t make it any less complicated.

There is something about her, Lily Evans—now Potter.

That makes him feel something

Maybe it’s something not necessarily all that nice when he bothers to think about it

But feeling _something_? It nice. And that’s enough for him

James thinks it doesn’t have to be that complicated

It’s not the life he’d dreamed about

With the war picking its pace

With problems screaming at his face

But maybe, just maybe they can make this work

.

Then the prophecy was delivered

.

 _The one with the power to vanquish the_ _■_ _̾̾̇͆̇̅ͧͧ̓ͩ͂ͬ͗̀_ _̶̴͆̐ͦͬͧ_ _■̉_ _̍̉_ _̿ͫ̈̀_ _̨͟_ _■_ _̸̡̾̿ͣ̂̿͒ͫ͊͡͞_ _■_ _͂̇̀_ _̶̡̊͠͝_ _■_ _̽͌ͦ̔͗̇̈̃_ _̴̐͌̈́͐̂̓ͬ̎ͦ͐̐̕͜͝_ _■_ _ͮ͂͋ͣ̃_ _̶̌̿͂̋̑̊̋ͭ̾̒͐_ _■_ _͆ͯ̉_ _̿́_ _̿ͤ͆͛ͪ̊ͨͭ̅̃_ _̨̚͡ approaches..._

 _Born_ _to t̸͠͝_ _h̕͟͠o͢҉̨͡s̷̷e̷̶͘̕ ̶͘͜͝w̧̡h҉̢͘o̕͏ ̶h͞͏͜a͢͞͡v̡̡̕e̶͘̕͡ ̧͝t͟͡ḩ͟ŗ͢҉̷i͝҉̶c̴҉̷e̶̷͟ ̷d̡͟e̕͘͞f̡͡i̢͝e̶͡҉̧ḑ̸͟͠ ͘h̨i̧͘m̶̴, born as the seventh month dies..._

 _And the_ _■_ _̾̾̇͆̇̅ͧͧ̓ͩ͂ͬ͗̀_ _̶̴͆̐ͦͬͧ_ _■̉_ _̍̉_ _̿ͫ̈̀_ _̨͟_ _■_ _̸̡̾̿ͣ̂̿͒ͫ͊͡͞_ _■_ _͂̇̀_ _̶̡̊͠͝_ _■_ _̽͌ͦ̔͗̇̈̃_ _̴̐͌̈́͐̂̓ͬ̎ͦ͐̐̕͜͝_ _■_ _ͮ͂͋ͣ̃_ _̶̌̿͂̋̑̊̋ͭ̾̒͐_ _■_ _͆ͯ̉_ _̿́_ _̿ͤ͆͛ͪ̊ͨͭ̅̃_ _̨̚͡ will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the_ _■_ _̾̾̇͆̇̅ͧͧ̓ͩ͂ͬ͗̀_ _̶̴͆̐ͦͬͧ_ _■̉_ _̍̉_ _̿ͫ̈̀_ _̨͟_ _■_ _̸̡̾̿ͣ̂̿͒ͫ͊͡͞_ _■_ _͂̇̀_ _̶̡̊͠͝_ _■_ _̽͌ͦ̔͗̇̈̃_ _̴̐͌̈́͐̂̓ͬ̎ͦ͐̐̕͜͝_ _■_ _ͮ͂͋ͣ̃_ _̶̌̿͂̋̑̊̋ͭ̾̒͐_ _■_ _͆ͯ̉_ _̿́_ _̿ͤ͆͛ͪ̊ͨͭ̅̃_ _̨̚͡ knows not..._

_Ą͜n̵̕͜͡d̴ ͟͟e̶͜i̧͡͏t̶̵͟h̵͢e͏̢͜͢͝r̷͏̧ ͜͝͝m̵̧͝u̡s̵͜҉̷t͏͏̢̨ ̸͏d̢͢͞i̧͠e̕͢ ̵̨̕͡͏ą̶t̴̢͘ ̶̛t̶̕͢h̨͜͜e͢҉̵̕ ҉̛̛͜͢h̸͜͞a̷̴͞͡n̵̨͠͠d̛ ̵̡ơ̶̵͘̕f͜͟͏͟ ̧͡͝t̶̶̡̡h̴̵̕e̷͘͠ ̷̢͟o̵̕t͏̴͢͝͠h̨͢͟e͏̷̢r̸̸̨̧̛ ̵̴̢͞f̛͟o̶̶̢͢r̸͞ ̨̕n̸̕͡͞ę͘͘į͟ţ̧͝͠h̴̢̨̛̕e̷̴̢r̸̵̶͡ ̷͘͡͞c͞a̡̡̡͟n̴̵̡̛ ҉̴̢͢l̡͡i̡̡̨͟v̵̵e̴̛ ̕҉̕͡w̡̢̛͠͡h̴̢̛͜i̴̢l͜͜͜͠e͞͏̨ ͜͝͏t͘͡ḩ̸e̸͠ ̶̨̡̕o͟͜t̷̵̛͡͞h̨͝͝e̷̛̕r̷҉͏͏ ̢s͟҉ų͘r̸̢̢̕͠v̢i̸̡͡v͡e̸̕͢s̵͢͠.͏͞҉̕.̢̛͞.̷̸̧̡͘_

_The one with the power to vanquish the_ _■_ _̾̾̇͆̇̅ͧͧ̓ͩ͂ͬ͗̀_ _̶̴͆̐ͦͬͧ_ _■̉_ _̍̉_ _̿ͫ̈̀_ _̨͟_ _■_ _̸̡̾̿ͣ̂̿͒ͫ͊͡͞_ _■_ _͂̇̀_ _̶̡̊͠͝_ _■_ _̽͌ͦ̔͗̇̈̃_ _̴̐͌̈́͐̂̓ͬ̎ͦ͐̐̕͜͝_ _■_ _ͮ͂͋ͣ̃_ _̶̌̿͂̋̑̊̋ͭ̾̒͐_ _■_ _͆ͯ̉_ _̿́_ _̿ͤ͆͛ͪ̊ͨͭ̅̃_ _̨̚͡ will be born as the seventh month dies..._

.

After eight hours of long and painful labor, she hands their child to the matron to be given to James.

Looking completely awestruck, James' posture seems like one particularly harsh gust of wind could strike him down and take his breath away. _Really_ , this drama queen.

Lily had to call his name twice to get him out of his stupor, and when he did, he stepped closer to the matron and reached out shaking hands that carefully held their baby while still seeming out of it

Lily smiles tiredly, but contently.

Then James takes one look at the bundle in his arms, walks closer again to the matron, places their baby back in the matron's hands, step backs slowly but resolutely, and promptly started panicking while wildly pacing back and forth in the room

_What._

.

The very first thing that James Charlus Potter says to Lily Evans -Potter after the tense eight our long labor she had just undertaken is this---

"Lily--", pacing frantically in the foot of the hospital bed--he says urgently, "Lily we have a _very_ serious problem"

Lily, completely drained from the strenuous pushes she had to do but still very much sharp-witted, almost stood straight up then and there as her breath hitches and her heart skips a beat from the less than nice image that was conjured in her mind by his words, almost

She zones in on his near manic eyes, filled with anxiety, fear, glee and a whole myriad of other emotions she can’t be bothered to identify in her tired state, and sees not a whit of the persona he dons when things get real but rather, a hysterical look that can be only acquired either by continuous all-nighters before finals week--, _or as it seems_ , being kept alert eight hours straight by a very determined hand attached to a suddenly very strong woman delivering a baby.

Suddenly helplessly exasperated, she pointedly asked. "And what, James, could that problem be?", staring at him with the eyes of a person who is tired and will kill someone for sleep, and anyone who disrupts their way to sleep

Seeming unfazed, James gesticulates wildly in the air, his hands eventually resting in a direction vaguely where their baby is being held by the matron who is watching them with patient amusement

"Lily-flower--", he starts seriously, "Our son is an ugly purple mandrake". _What_

"He is!”, as if to back up his claims, his hands started to fly everywhere again, "--Look at that scrunched up, not-nose! Oh, don't look at me like that! Is he okay?! What do we do?"

_Oh my go—_

James is not finished

He whirls around, cutting off his rant as he approaches the matron.

James kneels down, scrutinizing their baby, and promptly comes to a decision.

"It’s okay even if you look like that", he promises solemnly, "We won't have you any other way"

Lily sighs, this adorable _little shit_

"James, come here"

Sensing something, a dumbfounded look was sent her way. "What?"

"Come. Here."

Treading carefully, he slowly walks closer to the bed she is laying on. He hesitantly brings his head closer as he asks her, "Lily wha-- Ouch!"

Lily retracts the hand that she had used to hit his head. Sedately directing her deadpan eyes at him. "James--", another sigh, "You absolute idiot'

"Wha--, what did I do!", He puffs indignantly then immediately deflates as Lily continues looking at him with the same expression she directs as him when she feels he's been particularly daft. He lasts for exactly ten seconds before he resignedly adds, "--this time".

He looks at her with an expression not unlike that of a kicked puppy. She decides to take pity at him. "James, that's how all babies normally look like after their birth. You went through that, I went through that, every human went through that"

"Oh"

"Yes, James. _Oh_ "

.

_The wheels turn_

_The cycle continues_

.

She cries into his arms in their bed as she tells him, that she knows it’s immoral, wrong, but she wishes, oh she wishes that the prophecy child is not their boy, but the Longbottom's

He always comforts her, carefully not saying that in the deepest parts of his mind, he does too

.

A deal with the devil

A pact made hidden from the light.

The Destroyer tasked to save.

The Savior cast to die

.

He looks into her eyes for what he knows is going to be the last time in this lifetime

.

Here is the secret that no one knows about.

Sometimes he remembers everything,

Sometimes he remembers nothing.

He dreams he followed her into this realm.

He dreams that he killed that little girl.

He dreams of a life with kindness to be spared.

He dreams of himself who was nothing but scared.

He is not of this realm and he is nothing without this realm.

James Potter loves Lily Evans.

James Potter is nothing without Lily Evans.

It is a pity that they became human,

It is a fortune that finally they can become one.

.

_Was nothing of it real?  Was everything just a construct._

It was as real as you and I

.

Before the fall to oblivion, they both finally understand.

They are young, and they are old, and they are tired.

They are humans, they are monsters, and they are gods.

He is James Potter. She is Lily Evans. And this is their final death.

.

_Hello, Goodbye_

.

_Once before in the story of the hero and the damsel…_

That fateful day, they said he saved her.

He knows, then and now, that she was the one who saved him.

.

 

And with that, one Harry James Potter’s fate was sealed

A toast to Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to shout at me at the comments section  
> I am very shout-able
> 
> Next up is another tale, but this time one of a boy with untameable black hair, hazel eyes, and square glasses with all the time in the world and nothing at all, with so many hard decisions to be made.


End file.
